Pages

Stella Public House and Halcyon Set to Open in San Diego's East Village this November

October 15, 2014

San Diego's rapidly developing East Village neighborhood will welcome
two Texas-tested culinary concepts to town this fall. The modern coffeehouse/cocktail lounge, Halcyon, and its sister restaurant, the wood-fired
farm-to-pizza eatery and craft beer tap room, Stella Public House, will
debut in tandem in mid-November, bringing two unique and celebrated food
and drink establishments to the corner of 14th Street and Island
Avenue. Set to launch at 1429 Island Avenue, on the edge of San Diego’s newest (as-yet-unnamed) city park, Halcyon and Stella Public House will share a 3,000-square-foot space that will allow patrons to access both gathering spots under one roof. First opened in downtown Austin, Texas over a decade ago, Halcyon is an urban hot spot that cleverly combines the comfort and convenience of a chic coffeehouse by day with a laid back bar and lounge atmosphere by night. Stella Public House (or Stella), which first opened its doors to San Antonio’s hip Southtown neighborhood in the spring of 2013 - beside an Alamo City Halcyon location - is known for its artisan wood-fired pizza featuring seasonal ingredients and a rotating selection of craft beer and wine. Italian for 'star', Stella was named both “Best New Restaurant” and "Best Bar" this year by San Antonio Magazine. Stella Public House and Halcyon will arrive in San Diego under the guidance of the Austin-based investment group Zebo.

Executive chef Giovanni Novella will lead the kitchens at both Stella
Public House and Halcyon and put a local spin on the concepts' popular
menus. Novella, who graduated with a Master of Culinary Arts and
Hospitality from Italy’s Alberghiero de Gennaro professional institute,
is also a master pastry chef who previously worked as executive chef at
San Diego’s Isola Pizza Bar. General Manager Jonathan Wantz will oversee
operations at each concept,
joining the team after time working at the North County gastrolounge 83
Degrees.

The San Diego Stella Public House and Halcyon locations will feature airy, modern interiors highlighted by a sleek, light industrial aesthetic that incorporates salvaged materials, distressed brick, natural hewn woods, simple metal fittings and natural lighting. The concepts will also share an enchanting 1,500-square-foot outdoor patio space where patrons can take in the beautiful weather while enjoying Halcyon’s signature espresso-based concoctions such as the Chocolate Espresso Martini or Long Island Iced Coffee andStella’s award-winning signature small plates such as Wild Mushroom Mac & Cheese or Lamb Meatballs.

“We are very excited and proud to add San Diego to the list of outstanding cities that Halcyon and Stella call home,” said Zebo partner and San Diego resident, John Long. “We are more convinced than ever that San Diego is ready to add the kind of unique food, beverage and community-driven experiences that Stella and Halcyon will bring.”

Expect Napoletana style pizzas alongside a well-curated selection of craft beers and wine at Stella Public House's, where the “Farm to Pizza” concept is centered on progressive food practices and the development of strong partnerships with local growers, ranchers and purveyors. The foundation of Stella’s pizza is a crust with a firm blistered edge and chewy interior baked in a Forno Bravo Modena oven using oak and pecan wood. Shared plates, house-made cheeses, fresh salads and comfort foods made with locally-sourced ingredients can also be found on the restaurant’s seasonal menus. In addition to an impressive array of rotating craft beer taps from both local and national craft brewers and an internationally-curated wine list, Stella Public House’s specialty drink selections include creative “beer cocktails.”

SanDiegoVille Social Media

Follow SanDiegoVille on Snapchat!

Eat. Drink. Socialize. Simply San Diego! ™

We invite you to embrace SanDiegoVille™ as your source for what's happening in our small-town/big-city - from food to beer to entertainment to nightlife to day-life and beyond! We'll keep you in the know about all the fun & delicious happenings around San Diego!

SanDiegoVille.com endeavors to become a hyper-local source for all things San Diego! We are vivacious young professionals who love more than anything to ditch the monotony of the day job to explore America's Finest City, from the shore to the desert, and the hundreds of uniquely vibrant neighborhoods in between! We know San Diego! Although we are one of the largest cities in the U.S.A., it feels like a small, close knit community!